For the love of your business

Articles to LIFT Your Life and Business

How can I keep good records as a small business owner? What should I keep and what can I throw away?

Q:     How can I keep good records as a small business owner?  What should I keep and what can I throw away? –Conscientious Business Owner A:      Dear Conscientious: Keeping good records relieves stress and makes running your business easier and more enjoyable. But it may not look like what you think if you’ve […]

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How Your Legal and Financial Decisions Can Impact Your Marketing for the Better (or the Worse) In the Eyes of Your Prospective Customers and Clients

Running a small business often means you play a jack-of-all-trades. Whether it’s drafting client contracts or taking inventory, it’s likely you have a hand in all aspects of your business. Marketing is no exception. And knowing how to create an efficient marketing plan for your business can be difficult, especially when you might not be […]

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Doing Your Homework: How to Maximize Your Home Office Deduction

If you work from home, you may be eligible for tax deductions on part of the rent or mortgage payments you make, but you may be afraid this puts you at risk of tax audit. And, rightly so. Calculating your home office deduction properly can minimize your taxes and keep you out of risk.

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Helping Employees Access Health Care While Easing the Burden on Small Businesses

In December 2016, former President Obama signed an important health care act that will help alleviate the burden of employee health insurance on small businesses. The 21st Century Cures Act will allow, among other things, small businesses to reimburse their employees for individual health insurance if they do not offer a group plan. For small […]

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Is Your Payment and Agreement Process Losing You Money?

If you get paid for a service, collecting payment is the lifeblood of your company. And, yet, if you are like most people, you’ve made it an afterthought. For example, I recently got a request from a client I’ve worked with a few times before to review her client agreement. Upon doing so, what I […]

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Can I get a health care tax credit for my small business?

Q:     Can I get a health care tax credit for my small business?    –Curious Business Owner A:      Dear Curious: Health care tax credits can be a significant benefit for small businesses that want to provide healthcare for their employees. Not every small business will qualify for the tax credit. To determine if […]

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Are You Scrambling to Get Prepped For Your Taxes? Here Are Some Tips

While tax day here in the United States is not until April 15, if you own a business and you intend to follow the rules, you’ve already started scrambling. 1099s were due to your independent contractors February 1, and if you are filing an S or C-Corp tax return, it’s due March 15, and then […]

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Thinking About Small Business Bankruptcy? First Consider These Important Factors

Although often perceived as a worst case scenario, bankruptcy can be an appropriate way for small businesses to recover from unmanageable debt by reorganization, reducing personal liability or liquidating business assets. Sometimes small businesses (or their owners) must turn to bankruptcy when cash flow slows or business expenses cannot be met. There are three types […]

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Hiring? Great! Here’s How to Get Started with Your First Employee

Up until now, you alone have been running your small business. Now you need help. The moment when a small business owner decides to hire his or her first employee is one of triumph. Conversely, knowing how to start the hiring process can be a moment of confusion. If you’re ready to hire your first […]

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How to Leverage Company Culture to Build a Successful Brand

Building a brand can transform your business into an enduring household name. But how do you build a brand when you are starting from scratch? One good place to start is developing a consistent company culture. Company culture can be leveraged to create a unique and memorable company identity. More than just a corporate buzzword, […]

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How can I protect my digital property?

Q:     How can I protect my digital property?       –Concerned Business Owner A:      Dear Concerned: As a business owner with a website, you know first-hand the time and resources put into developing effective and results-driven content. It takes planning, research, and designs to develop your site and your other pieces of digital property. […]

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